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Universal Audio 4-710D

1. CAUTION 10 ELECTI LINE IN 7 LINE N 5 LINE IN 8 LINE IN 6 Digital Connectors 1 AES EBU Out All eight channels of the 4 710d s A D converters are output in AES EBU digital format on this standard DB 25 connector The 4 710d AES EBU output supports Single Wire mode at all available 4 710d sample rates The AES EBU output does not support Dual Wire mode at sample rates above 96 kHz gt gt The DB 25 connector pin out assignments are detailed in Maintenance on page 34 D Digidesign s 192 1 0 supports AES EBU at sample rates above 96 kHz only in Dual Wire mode Therefore the 4 710d is incompatible with the 192 1 0 when connected via AES EBU at sample rates of 176 4 kHz and higher 2 Word Clock In The 4 710d s internal clock can be synchronized slaved to an external master clock This is accomplished by setting Sample Rate knob page 12 to connecting the external word clock s BNC connector to the Word Clock In port and setting the external device to transmit word clock The frequency of the incoming word clock must be within 3 of any of the supported sample rates If not the LOCK indicator will glow red the word clock OUT will be driven at 48 kHz and the digital outputs will be driven at 48 kHz and muted External clocking is required when connecting the 4 710d to another digital device such as a com puter audio interface whose digital clock is
2. 3 176 20 dB 1 076 109 dB 74 dB Specifications Solid State amp 100 LINE IN TO LINE OUT THD N min gain 1 kHz 20 kHz BW 101 dB 0 000926 THD N gain 1 kHz 20 kHz BW 70 dB 0 03 SNR min gain 1 kHz A wgt 20 kHz BW 110 dB SNR max gain 1 kHz A wgt 20 kHz BW 82 dB Low Cut Filter Type Bessel 2nd Order Corner Frequency 75 Hz Attenuation 20 Hz 23 dB Pad Attenuation 15 dB Phase Phase Shift 180 deg Phantom Power Phantom Power Current per jack 10 mA Voltage 48V 1V Compressor Threshold 10 dBu Compression Ratio 4 1 Fast Attack Time 0 3 ms Fast Release Time 100 ms Slow Attack Time 2 0 ms Slow Release Time 1100 ms Limiter Threshold 17 dBu 3 dBFS Attack Time 0 075 ms Release Time 100 ms Send Return Send Level Max bal 20 dBu Return Level Max bal 20 dBu Send Level Max unbal 14 dBu Return Level Max unbal 20 dBu Analog Meter Switch GR Comp Gain Reduction Switch Drive Tube Stage Drive Switch Level Output Leve Level 0 dB VU Drive Mode 12 dBu Level 0 dB VU Output Mode 4 dBu Continued 38 Specifications Analog To Digital Converter Section Note all specifications are typical performance unless otherwise noted Unless otherwise noted all specifications are 20 Hz 20 kHz minimum gain maximum level 24 bits all switches in neutral or off mode 10076 solid state 1 dBFS output Microphone Input THD N 1 dBFS SNR A Wt Dyn
3. And like a microphone the preamp is one of many devices that may impart a sound to a recording or may conversely attempt to avoid coloration In this way mics and preamps can be compared to the various paints brushes and surfaces a visual artist may choose from or to the various films lenses and filters the photographer uses in his process In the same way that a photographer might choose a certain filter to reject a certain type of light a recording engineer may do the same with a mic to tailor out a certain frequency range The photographer may choose a particular film to convey a certain atmosphere and a recordist might choose a particular preamp for the very same reason The critical decision is whether or not the given device imparts the correct character or lack thereof for a given recording The best thing about choosing the right mic and preamp for the job is that when the session is going great and the music is truly happening the quality character and nuanced detail of the engineer s tools really begin to shine Because it is the component which transforms the very low level signal from a microphone into a useable signal a critical transition of energy the quality of the preamplifier plays a huge role in shaping the final signal And ultimately a great mic preamp is all about great design Throughout the half century or so of modern recording technology a number of preamp designs have been introduced all with their own stre
4. S MUX sometimes written as S MUX An acronym for Sample Multiplexing SMUX is a method for transmitting two channels of high sample rate 88 2 96 176 4 or 192kHz 24 bit digital audio over a legacy optical light pipe ADAT connection which was originally designed to carry eight channels of 16 20 or 24 bit audio at 44 1kHz or 48kHz sampling rate See and Light pipe SPDIF sometimes written as S PDIF An acronym for Sony Philips Digital Interface Format a digital audio transfer standard largely based on the AES EBU standard Designed to carry two channels of 16 20 or 24 bit digital audio at sampling rates of up to 192kHz the most common SPDIF physical interconnect utilizes unbalanced 75 ohm video type coaxial cables terminating at phono RCA type connectors See AES Superclock A proprietary format used by some early Pro Tools systems to distribute clock signal running at 256x the system s sample rate thus matching the internal timing resolution of the software See Clock and Pro Tools 22 Glossary of Terms Transcoding Converting one type of digital signal to another i e from AES to SPDIF or from ADAT to AES Transformer An electronic component consisting of two or more coils of wire wound on a common core of magnetically permeable material Audio transformers operate on audible signal and are designed to step voltages up and down and to send signal between microphones and line
5. 31 Fuse 34 Getting Started 7 Glossary 29 Guitar 26 History 27 Hi Z Inputs 9 Horns and Reeds 26 Impedance 31 40 Important Safety Information iii Input 7 10 15 16 40 Insert 11 16 Insert Return 16 Insert Send 16 Insider s Secrets 25 Interconnection Diagrams 17 Introduction 5 Jitter 6 23 24 31 Light Pipe 31 Limit 12 Line Inputs 15 Line Output 16 Live Applications 26 Lock 13 Low Cut 8 11 21 40 Low Cut Filter 31 Maintenance 34 master 10 14 23 24 30 Index Meter 7 8 10 11 20 40 Metering 25 Microphone 26 40 Overview 20 PAD 7 10 Polarity 11 16 21 Power iii 8 12 15 21 40 Rear Panel 14 Registration 43 Resources 43 Ribbon 32 Sample Rate 12 13 14 15 32 Service 34 43 Single Wire 14 22 29 30 32 slave 15 23 S MUX 15 22 32 Solid State 20 40 SPDIF 32 33 Support 43 synchronization 23 24 Trademarks ii Vacuum Tube 20 Vocals 25 Voltage Select 34 Warranty 43 Website 43 Word Clock 14 15 22 XLR 7 16 29 33 40 UNIVERSAL AUDIO Additional Resources Universal Audio Website We ve got a pretty cool website if we may say so ourselves Check us out at http www uaudio com There you ll find tons of information about our full line of products as well as e news videos software downloads FAQs an online store and a way cool webzine that features hot tips techniques and interviews with you
6. ata m c btt bett Rot nt 14 Digital Connectors soe tied a aea mra n cr e tom aer th E ba ce n in aee a dede ds 14 Analog Connectors re a Rr Eh E e Er re Pr AE e rd e 15 Interconnection Diagrams 17 Analog Only 17 Basic Digital Setups dice ana e hb nt ead d pen n deu fenis 18 Advanced Digital ode ec etr ter D a e p 19 caccia ase teet lead ront Late 20 Digital Clocking Prier i iit e tp tite uio ide E vean eu 23 25 History of the Model 4 710d T 27 Glossaty OT iss ed ais He LS He ee ted 29 IET CTI Tire erp DOES 34 Calibrations soto tie ie bee era Ph te id tem ba diet odii eis 34 E TE 34 Voltage Selecta neinsdncianemdanctemnatitesiiame nad gta din cid an gates 34 de 34 AES EBU DB 25 Connector 5 3 tt ie et te be fb 34 SESSION lee a aie 35 er ict 36 Specifications ea 37 Analog Section Channels 1 4 ccccssssscsssscscssescscssessscsssscsesessess
7. huge range of sonic possibilities offered by the 4 710d make it an invaluable companion for any kind of drum miking The excellent transient response of its solid state transimpedance preamp serves to enhance overhead and ambient mics picking up the crispness of cymbals while the roundness of its tube preamp adds fullness to snare and tom mics Again the best solution is usually a blend of the two depending upon the specific mics being used and the mic positioning Be sure also to experiment with the 4 710d polarity control whenever multiple mics are being used Improving the Sound of Your Microphone Incredible but true in some cases the 4 710d can make an inexpensive microphone sound like an expensive one Even an inexpensive stage dynamic microphone can come to life when routed through one or both 4 710d preamps adding richness and airiness to the sound without adding undesirable graininess or coloration Live Applications Although the 4 710d was designed primarily for use in recording it can also serve as a powerful addition to a live sound rig especially in FOH Front Of House applications Because its tube preamp section is based on vintage guitar amp design it can even be used as an onstage preamp just plug your instrument directly into its Hi Z input and then route the 4 710d output to a power amp and or FOH console input 26 History of the Model 4 710d Like the microphone preamplifiers come in all shapes sizes and colors
8. non musically inclined On a vocal track however that same 276 THD sounds like some really nice tube warmth On an overdriven guitar 276 is barely even audible The most important thing to remember when using the Drive function is that there is no wrong meter reading only wrong tones for a particular track So use the meter as guide not as a pass fail test Do what feels and sounds right and don t be afraid to push it Vocals Vocals Vocals Just as certain microphones work best with certain vocalists so too do certain mic preamps The presence of not just one but two completely discrete preamps in the 4 710d mean that it will work wonders with just about any microphone and with just about any vocalist The crisp precision of a condenser microphone for example can be matched perfectly by the uncolored accuracy of the 4 710d s transimpedance solid state preamp or you can instead opt to use the tube side to warm up the tone Better yet use the Blend control to dial in exactly the right amount of both preamps to match both the microphone s frequency characteristics and the timbral quality of the vocalist And if you re using the already warm sound of a tube microphone for vocals try 25 Insider s Secrets complementing it with the 4 710d s solid state preamp or use the Blend control to dial in a combination of the two that favors the contribution of the TRANS side Electric Guitar and Bass There s something very spec
9. quality of signal from input to output The term transimpedance refers to transistor configurations that employ current feedback to provide gain and distortion immunity without the loss of sonic detail or musicality Designed for applications requiring the ultimate in transparent amplification with little or no coloration its razor flat and immensely wide frequency response yields highly accurate results and minimizes artifacts on the way to the recording medium Noise and distortion are kept to near theoretical minimums so critical signals may be generously amplified without degrading the quality or character of the sound source Zero coloration preamps such as these are especially useful for capturing the sound source with its original qualities and character so that later processing may occur with maximum flexibility There are no transformers or tubes in the preamp signal path and the 1176 style compressor limiter located after the preamplifier can be switched out as desired to eliminate permanent audio coloration For many users the useful characteristics of these devices are preferred at the mix stage and are commonly implemented using DSP processors and plug ins with excellent and reversible results such as those found on Universal Audio s UAD plug in platform About Class A Most electronic devices can be designed in such a way as to minimize a particularly unpleasant form of distortion called crossover distortion However t
10. result in significant amounts of distortion For the cleanest most uncolored signal from the 4 710d set the Gain knob to its lowest usable setting change the Meter to OUTPUT and then adjust the Level control as necessary If you hear distortion when using a connected microphone even at the lowest Gain level employ the 15 dB pad to reduce the input level If you hear low frequency rumble employ the Low Cut filter switch Step 16 Finally experiment with the Blend control to hear the different sonic signatures imparted by the two discrete preamplifiers contained within the 4 710d At the fully counterclockwise TRANS position only signal from the solid state preamplifier is heard At the fully clockwise TUBE position only the signal from the tube preamplifier is heard Most uniquely it is the in between settings that allow you to access the twin finity of sounds offered by the 4 710d and create a custom blend that best complements your signal source For more detailed information refer to the Front Panel and Rear Panel sections on pages 9 and 14 of this manual Front Panel Descriptions Analog Controls CO a ZS emo 9 TONE BLENDING 4 710d MIC PREAMPLIFIER Om wo gt controls for channels 1 4 are identical so each control is only described once 1 Hi Z Inputs Connect a high impedance signal from an instrument such as electric guitar or ba
11. set to internal making that device the master clock All digital devices in a system should be slaved to the master clock otherwise clicks and or pops could be encountered when recording or monitoring the digital audio stream from the 4 710d For more details please see the Digital Clocking Primer section on page 23 The 4 710d can be synchronized to an external 1x clock signal only Superclock overclocking and subclocking are not supported 14 Rear Panel 3 Word Clock Out This BNC connector transmits a standard 1x word clock For all settings except W C the 4 710d is the clock master and the clock rate sent by this port is specified by the Sample Rate knob 4 17 page 12 The 4 710d will drive the Word Clock to all devices on the chain When the Sample Rate is set to W C external word clock the 4 710d is a word clock slave If the incoming external word clock is within 3 of a supported sample rate 44 1 kHz 48 kHz 88 2 kHz 96 kHz 176 4 kHz 192 kHz Word Clock Out will mirror Word Clock In with a slight phase delay about 40 5 If the incoming external word clock is not within 3 of a supported sample rate Word Clock Out will default to 48kHz and the digital outputs will be muted Word Clock Out does not truly mirror Word Clock In so Word Clock Out should not be used to daisy chain the Word Clock if the 4 710d is in the middle of the Word Clock chain The correct method to connect
12. sound As a good starting point we recommend that you set the Blend control to the desired degree of tube coloration then back it off slightly towards the TRANS position to dial in the precise amount of snap and detail you want in your sound Drive Metering Because it shares lineage with vintage guitar amplifier designs the 4 710d s tube preamplifier can contribute precise amounts of even order harmonic distortion the kind the ear enjoys listening to to your signal ranging from pleasant amounts of rasp to all out grunge The Drive meter function can be a great tool in helping to decide how high to raise the Gain control because it indicates how much tube saturation is going to be present in the output signal It does this by monitoring the signal that is driving the tube If what you want is crystal clear tube tone then the meter will be bouncing around near the low end of its range If what you are after is a ton of tube dirt then drive the meter into the red there is nothing wrong with either extreme Once you use the Drive function a few times you will develop a feel for it and should be able to dial in the desired tube character quickly and easily When in Drive mode the 4 710d meter is calibrated so that OVU is equal to 1 2 THD on a 1KHz sine wave However measured distortion levels can be misleading because they are so source and style dependent 2 THD on a sine wave is a fair amount of distortion and will be apparent to even the
13. 6 fax 831 461 1550 35 Block Diagram HI Vd IVN9IS P0LZ v MS AHVIOH MNIISOL 123136 31V3 314 4 5 32012 oianv z1noivav 8031 s313lN 91901 J313N 1 32019 oianv Sol Hom E ANITSOL SY3LYJANO9 NI 3NI1 aai QN 13NVd 32012M 1vOV 8 4 S IHNNVHO ino 1vav 31vW34 ONG 1nO NI WN312M peed 31vW34 IWW YX NI 2M 100 naa sav ino ann 7OHINOO 133431 39101 HOSS3HdWOD 31915 01105 LNO NI 1 3SVHd 3SVHd 38ni SNVHL SSVdAS LSV4 MO1S MOSS3HdWO2 9 5 5 V 8 s Ge m E z z NA 123135 H3005N3 093 539 MASNI 13 330 NO 8 1 170 anit SML SL NI Z IH ANVd 1NO 3 97 Aes A O O s dH ee WV 09 7 193135 dad NI IW HO 330 NO 78 9 1 3NITOIW 10 mwwWa33 wx 34O NO avd O7 O ap 02 112 01 103138 NI 3NI1 3NVd t STANNVHD 36 Specifications Analog Section Channels 1 4 Note all specifications are typical performance unless otherwise noted Unless otherwise noted all specifications are 20 Hz 20 kHz minimum gain maximum level 24 bits all switches in neutral or off mode 10076 solid state digita
14. A signal processor e g reverb is connected via the insert loop of channel 1 for the mic The insert send of channel 3 but not the return is used as a guitar direct output for connection to a tuner The line outputs are connected to an analog mixer where the input signals are combined before being sent to powered PA speakers Key points for this example e Mic Line switch for channel 1 is set to Mic e Insert switches for channels 1 and 2 are set to In e Line outputs are connected to an analog mixer for monitoring Interconnections Basic Digital Setup This diagram illustrates a typical system using the 4 710d as the front end of a digital recording setup A variety of input sources are used with the 4 710d performing A D conversion on the inputs In this setup the converted input signals are sent to the computer digitally via the ADAT lightpipe and the software monitoring features of the DAW are used to monitor the 4 710d inputs The example shows microphones connected to channels 1 and 2 guitar and electric bass connected to the H Z inputs of channels 3 and 4 and a stereo keyboard connected to line inputs 5 and 6 A guitar effects processor is connected via the insert loop of channel 3 The insert send of channel 4 but not the return is used as a bass direct output for connection to a tuner The ADAT output from the 4 710d is connected to the ADAT input of the computer s audio interface for monitoring and re
15. Charles Duke Ellington Ella Fitzgerald and many many more The studios he designed and operated were known for their sound and his innovations were a reflection of his desire to continually push the envelope Universal Recording in Chicago as well as Ocean Way and Cello Studios now EASTWEST in Los Angeles all preserve elements of his room designs The companies that Putnam started Universal Audio Studio Electronics and UREI built products that are still in regular use decades after their development In 1999 his sons Bill Jr and James Putnam re launched Universal Audio and merged with Kind of Loud technologies a leading audio software company with two goals in mind to reproduce classic analog recording equipment designed by their father and his colleagues and to design new recording tools in the spirit of vintage analog technology Today Universal Audio is fulfilling that goal bridging the worlds of vintage analog and DSP technology in a creative atmosphere where musicians audio engineers analog designers and DSP engineers intermingle and exchange ideas Every project taken on by the UA team is driven by its historical roots and a desire to wed classic analog technology with the demands of the modern digital studio 28 Glossary of Terms A D An acronym for Analog to Digital which refers to the conversion of analog signal to digital ADAT An acronym for Alesis Digital Audio Tape ADAT was the name given to the Al
16. S Remote Preamp Until fairly recently solid state models were the norm in recording studios but somewhere around the explosion of digital recording tube preamps suddenly became fashionable again serving for some as the antidote to so called cold DAWs Despite the fact that technology has vastly improved the quality of even the least expensive converters and that higher sample rates and bit rates are commonly being used many still find something unforgiving about the medium But there is more than one way to skin the digital cat and nowadays engineers reach for those tools that inject the correct character back into what some call an overly critical medium The key is knowing which tools to reach for and in the case of preamplifiers whether to opt for the warmth of tubes or the precision of solid state The Universal Audio 4 710d allows the recordist to literally enjoy the best of both worlds Not only does it combine two preamplifiers per channel one vacuum tube and one solid state in a single box its unique Blend control allows the engineer to dial in precisely the desired amount of tone from each The 4 710d is truly a cutting edge product for its time In 2000 Bill Putnam Sr was awarded a Technical Grammy for his multiple contributions to the record ing industry Highly regarded as a recording engineer studio designer operator and inventor Putnam was considered a favorite of musical icons Frank Sinatra Nat King Cole Ray
17. UNIVERSAL AUDIO Model 4 710d Four Channel Tone Blending Mic Preamplifier Universal Audio Part Number 65 00051 Revision A Universal Audio Inc Customer Service amp Tech Support 1 877 MY UAUDIO Business Sales amp Marketing 1 866 UAD 1176 www uaudio com Notices This manual provides general information preparation for use installation and operating instructions for the Universal Audio Model 4 710d Disclaimer The information contained in this manual is subject to change without notice Universal Audio Inc makes no warranties of any kind with regard to this manual including but not limited to the implied warranties of merchantability and fitness for a particular purpose Universal Audio Inc shall not be liable for errors contained herein or direct indirect special incidental or consequential damages in connection with the furnishing performance or use of this material Copyright 2011 Universal Audio Inc All rights reserved This manual and any associated software artwork product designs and design concepts are subject to copyright protection No part of this document may be reproduced in any form without prior written permission of Universal Audio Inc Trademarks 4 710d 710 Twin Finity 4110 8110 5010 110 5010 610 2 610 LA 610 LA 2A 2 LA2 LA 3A 6176 1176LN 2 1176 2192 DCS Remote Preamp UAD and the Universal Audio Inc logo are trademarks of Universal Audio Inc Other company and prod
18. amic Range 60 dBFS A wt Frequency Response Stereo Phase Line Input Ch 1 4 THD N 1 dBFS SNR A Wt Dynamic Range 60 dBFS A Wt Frequency Response Stereo Phase Line Input Ch 5 8 THD N 1 dBFS SNR A Wt Dynamic Range 60 dBFS A Wt Frequency Response Stereo Phase 16 Bit Mode Dither Type Sample Resolution THD N 1 dBFS 16 bits SNR A Wt Dynamic Range 60 dBFS A Wt 100 dB 0 001 110 dB 110 dB 0 1 0 15 dB lt 0 3 deg 100 dB 0 001 110 dB 110 dB 0 1 0 15 dB lt 0 3 deg 103 dB 0 0007 117 dB 117 dB 0 1 dB lt 0 5 deg Triangular 16 bits 93 dB 0 0022 98 dB 98 dB Specifications Digital Output Section Digital Output Formats AES EBU ADAT Optical Bit Depths Clock Options A D Metering Connector Types Digital Output Formats External Connections rear panel External Connections front panel Mechanical and Power Power AC Requirements Maximum Power Consumption Power Connector Mechanical Dimensions Weight 8 channels 44 1 192kHz single wire 44 1 48kHz Port 1 channel 1 8 Port 2 channel 1 8 duplicate out 88 2 96Khz S MUX Port 1 channel 1 4 Port 2 channel 5 8 176 4 192kHz 5 Port 1 channel 1 2 Port 2 channel 3 4 24 Bit 16 Bit dithered Internal crystal 44 1 48 88 2 96 176 4 192 kHz Word Clock 44 1 48 88 2 96 176 4 192 kHz Lock range 3 Optional termina
19. as a peak hold implementation signal peaks are held for 90 ms 19 Lock When the 4 710d is locked synchronized to a clock source the LOCK indicator glows green The indicator glows red when the clock is not locked The clock is always locked when the Sample Rate knob 44 717 on page 12 is set to an internal sample rate For the clock to be locked when the clock source is external a valid clock signal must be present at the rear panel word clock input see note above D In order for the 4 710d to detect and lock to a valid external word clock the frequency of the incoming word clock must be within 3 of any of the supported sample rates 44 1 48 88 2 96 176 4 or 192 kHz If the frequency of the incoming work clock is not within 3 of a supported sample rate the LOCK indicator will glow red the WORD CLOCK OUT will be driven at 48 kHz and the digital outputs will be driven at 48 kHz and muted D The clock must be locked for proper A D conversion If the clock won t lock when the Sample Rate knob is set to W C external word clock verify that the external device is connected to the word clock BNC input and is transmitting a valid clock signal D The 4 710d cannot lock to an external device that is set to slave to the 4 710d Rear Panel Descriptions POWER 1po 240vAC UNIVERSAL AUDIO INC 0 75A po 6oHz DESIGNED IN CALIFORNIA ASSEMBLED IN CHINA cc x CAUTION AVIS
20. ation Calibration The 4 710d is internally calibrated at the factory Calibration should never be required and no user adjustments are available Fuse There is no user accessible fuse for the 4 710d It contains an internal power supply circuit board with its own fuse Voltage Select The 4 710d contains a universal auto sensing filtered multi stage regulated power supply which supports 100 240VAC and 50 60Hz power for trouble free operation worldwide No switch setting is required when changing from 115 to 230 volt use or vice versa Service If your 4 710d should ever require service please see Service amp Support on page 43 AES EBU DB 25 Connector Pinouts The table below details the signals present on the DB 25 connector pins for the AES EBU outputs CHANNEL DESIGNATION HOT COLD GROUND shield Channels 1 2 Receive Channels 3 4 Receive 24 12 25 10 23 Channels 5 6 Receive 2l 9 22 Channels 7 8 Receive 7 20 8 6 17 3 14 Channels 1 2 Transmit Channels 3 4 Transmit Channels 5 6 Transmit Channels 7 8 Transmit Since the 4 7104 does not perform D A conversion the receive pins for channels 1 4 are inactive 34 Session Recall Sheet 4 710d TONE BLENDING MIC PREAMPLIFIER Session Recall Sheet TONE BLENDING 4 7101 MIC PREAMPLIFIER TONE BLENDING CEMI MIC PREAMPLIFIER 2 8 OUT wr our cr 0 or
21. cording Key points for this example e Mic Line switch for channels 1 and 2 are set to Mic e Insert switch for channel 3 is set to In e output is connected to computer audio interface e Internal clock is used Sample Rate knob is NOT set to W C e Computer is set to synchronize slave to external clock e Computer DAW is used for software monitoring ZORO anon le Ole ae Nye 1 oso GEEZ 9 Interconnections Advanced Digital Setup This diagram illustrates a typical system using the 4 710d as the front end of a more complicated digital recording setup A variety of input sources are used with the 4 710d performing A D conversion on the inputs while slaved to an external word clock In this setup the converted input signals are sent to the computer digitally via the AES EBU output and the software monitoring features of the DAW are used to monitor the 4 710d inputs gt gt See the Digital Clocking Primer on page 23 for detailed info about synchronization The inputs and inserts are connected as in the previous example The AES EBU output from the 4 710d is connected to the AES EBU DB 25 input of the computer s audio interface and the word clock output is connected from the audio interface to the 4 710d word clock input The software monitoring features of the DAW are used to monitor the 4 710
22. ctors on page 15 for more info on the rear panel inputs 8 Meter This standard VU meter can display the channel s overall output level tube drive level or amount of compressor gain reduction The function that is displayed depends upon the setting of the Meter Function switch Z9 on page 11 Front Panel 9 Meter Function This three position switch determines what the channel s VU meter displays In the up OUTPUT position it shows the final output level in dB 0 on the VU meter corresponds to 4 dBu at the analog outputs and 16 dBFS at the A D converter inputs In the down DRIVE position it shows the input level to the tube stage after the front panel Gain control but before the Blend and Level controls thus giving an accurate gauge of how hard the tube and solid state preamplifiers are being driven In the center GR position the meter displays the amount of gain reduction occurring in the channel s compressor if the COMP switch gt 13 below is engaged for the channel If the channel s compressor is off the meter will not deflect from zero when set to GR When the switch is in DRIVE mode the meter is calibrated so that 0 VU is equal to 1 276 THD on a 1kHz sine wave When OUTPUT is selected a meter reading of 0 VU corresponds to a level of 4 dBu at the rear panel LINE OUTPUT jack gt gt See Drive Metering on page 25 for additional analog metering info 10 Low Cut When enabled placed in the
23. d inputs Key points for this example e Mic Line switch for channels 1 and 2 are set to Mic e Insert switch for channel 3 is set to In e AES EBU output is connected to computer audio interface Word clock out from audio interface is connected to 4 710d word clock input e Sample Rate knob is set to external clock synchronization is used e Computer DAW is used for software monitoring anan NEL 4 INEL 3 LINE IN ine iN LINE OUT m gt t ee 0000000000000000 J N 2 Computer Audio 0000000000000000 Interface Model 4 710d Overview The Universal Audio 4 710d with its four mic preamps derived from our TEC award winning UA Model 710 Twin Finity Mic Line Hi Z Preamplifier combines our highly revered analog tube and solid state preamplification technology but with a twist Its unique phase aligned Blend controls allow the user to literally dial in the desired sound from precise ultra clean solid state tones to fat tube presence and overdriven crunch or anywhere in between Additionally each of the four mic preamp channels has an 1176 style analog compressor that can be individually enabled for each channel Other features include JFET Direct Inject inputs which allows for the direct connection of an electric guitar or bass or any instrument with a magnetic or acoust
24. e Model 710 combines both the classic retro warmth of UA tube design and the transient bite of solid state The 710 was created specifically to add the tonal versatility and sonic inspiration missing from generic audio interface preamps The key to its sonic flexibility lies in its innovative circuit design featuring a solid state transimpedance input amp simultaneously driving separate phase aligned tube and solid state gain stages which are then summed to a single output The mix between the single ended class A triode tube stage and solid state transimpedance stage is controlled via a unique Blend knob Blending is continually variable between 10076 tube and 10076 solid state offering a practically infinite range of unique preamp tones and the ability to easily dial in your own signature sound With the 4 710d we ve added even more value to the 710 mic preamps Each channel includes an 1176 style compressor this dynamics circuit sounds incredible and provides yet another dimension of available sounds For flexible signal routing and external processing the 4 710d also includes send return jacks in each preamp that can be individually switched via the front panel The 4 710d facilitates easy integration of analog signals into your digital world with its built in high quality 8 channel A D converter Selectable sample rates from 44 1 to 192 kHz digital output via ADAT optical or AES EBU via industry standard DB 25 connector and flexible low jitt
25. e audio data regardless of sample rate being used Each additional bit adds approximately 6 dB to the dynamic range of the audio In addition the use of more bits helps capture quieter signal more accurately See Sample and Dynamic range Bit Depth See Bit Resolution Bit Resolution Used interchangeably with bit depth this is a term used to describe the number of bits used in a digital recording The 4 710d converts analog audio and transmits digital audio with a resolution of 24 bits thus yielding a theoretical dynamic range of approximately 145 dB the highest resolution in common use today dithered 16 bit output is also available See Dynamic Range BNC A bayonet type coaxial connector often found on video and digital audio equipment as well as on test devices like oscilloscopes In digital audio equipment BNC connectors are normally used to carry word clock signals between devices BNC connectors are named for their type Bayonet and their inventors Paul Neil and Carl Concelman See Word Clock Class A design technique used in electronic devices such that their active components are drawing current and working throughout the full signal cycle thus yielding a more linear response This increased linearity results in fewer harmonics generated hence lower distortion in the output signal Condenser Microphone A microphone design that utilizes an electrically charged thin conductive diaphragm stretched close
26. e that can record play back edit and process digital audio dB Short for decibel a logarithmic unit of measure used to determine among other things power ratios voltage gain and sound pressure levels dBm Short for decibels as referenced to milliwatt dissipated in a standard load of 600 ohms 1 dBm into 600 ohms results in 0 775 volts RMS dBV Short for decibels as referenced to voltage without regard for impedance thus one volt equals one dBV DI Short for Direct Inject a recording technique whereby the signal from a high impedance instrument such as electric guitar or bass is routed to a mixer or tape recorder input by means of a DI box which raises the signal to the correct voltage level at the right impedance Digital Information or data that is stored or communicated as a series of bits binary digits with values of 0 or 1 Digital audio refers to the representation of varying sound pressure levels by means of a series of numbers See Analog and Bit Dither Minute amounts of shaped noise added intentionally to a digital recording in order to reduce a form of distortion known as quantization noise and aid in low level sound resolution The 4 710d performs dithering when set to 16 bit mode DSP Short for digital signal processing Dual Wire sometimes referred to as Double Wide A revised format of AES EBU data transfer that accommodates sample rates of 176 4 kHz or 192 kHz The D
27. ed by a bad source clock inferior cabling or improper cable termination and or signal induced noise A jittery signal will contain spurious tones at random inharmonic frequencies Usually the jitter will be worse with higher signal frequencies The internal digital clock of the 4 710d was designed for extreme stability and jitter free operation and its onboard phase aligned clock conditioner circuitry removes jitter from external sources so conversion quality is unaffected by clock source Light Pipe A digital connection made with optical cable This was a phrase coined by Alesis to make a distinction between the proprietary 8 channel optical network used in their ADAT products and standard stereo optical connectors used on CD players and other consumer products Line Level Refers to the voltages used by audio devices such as mixers signal processors tape recorders and DAWs Professional audio systems typically utilize line level signals of 4 dBm which translates to 1 23 volts while consumer and semiprofessional audio equipment typically utilize line level signals of 10 dBV which translates to 0 316 volts Low Cut Filter An equalizer circuit that cuts signal below a particular frequency Mic Level Refers to the very low level signal output from microphones typically around 2 millivolts 2 thousandths of a volt Mic Preamp The output level of microphones is very low and therefore requires specially designed mic preamplif
28. ently at the same frequency many designers don t bother cleaning up this signal Since the clock recovery clock multiplier and clock conditioning circuitry define the jitter for analog conversion no external clock source can clean up the jitter introduced by these circuits regardless of how perfect the external source clock is The best they can do is avoid making it any worse but this is hardly worth the cost It s much better and less expensive to get a good converter than it is to try and fix a bad one with an expensive master clock The only reason to spend money on a high quality master clock is to ensure that multiple devices are synchronized correctly This is essential for working with audio for film video or when synchronizing multiple high quality converters A poor master clock can also affect imaging and clarity in a multi track environment The 4 710d provides high quality analog to digital conversion for recording and or playback With its pristine audio path high quality clocking and simple front panel controls it makes a great master or slave audio interface for every digital studio and thus provides a very cost effective way to improve overall sound quality D In order for the 4 710d to detect and lock to a valid external word clock the frequency of the incoming word clock must be within 3 of any of the supported sample rates 44 1 48 88 2 96 176 4 or 192 kHz If the frequency of the incoming work clock is not withi
29. er clocking options make it easier than ever to get mic line or instrument signals directly into your DAW with a minimum of hardware and fuss The A D converters include LED metering and an 8 channel soft limiter helps prevent digital overs Most of us at Universal Audio are musicians and or recording engineers We love the recording process and we really get inspired when tracks are beautifully recorded Our design goal for the 4 710d was to build a hybrid mic preamp and A D converter that we would be delighted to use ourselves one that would induce that a ha feeling you get when hearing music recorded in its most natural inspired form Developing the Model 4 710d as well as Universal Audio s entire line of quality audio products designed to meet the needs of the modern recording studio while retaining the character of classic vintage equipment has been a very special experience for me and for all who have been involved While on the surface the rebuilding of UA has been a business endeavor it s really been so much more than that in equal parts a sentimental and technical adventure We thank you and we thank my father Bill Putnam Sincerely 2 Bill Putnam Jr Introduction Overview The Universal Audio 4 710d is a four channel microphone line preamplifier with tube and solid state tone blending offering four additional line inputs dynamics control and eight channels of pristine analog to digital conversi
30. esis branded products of the 1990s which recorded eight tracks of digital audio on a standard S VHS video cassette The term now generally refers to the 8 channel optical connection that is used in a wide range of digital products from many manufacturers AES sometimes written as AES EBU The name of a digital audio transfer standard jointly developed by the American based Audio Engineering Society and the European Broadcast Union Designed to carry two channels of 16 20 or 24 bit digital audio at sampling rates of up to 192kHz the most common AES physical interconnect utilizes a 3 conductor 110 ohm twisted pair cable terminating at standard XLR connectors See Dual Wire and Single Wire Analog Literally an analog is a replica or representation of something In audio signals changes in voltage are used to represent changes in acoustic sound pressure Note that analog audio is a continuous representation as opposed to the quantized or discrete stepped representation created by digital devices See Digital Balanced Audio cabling that uses two twisted conductors enclosed in a single shield thus allowing relatively long cable runs with minimal signal loss and reduced induced noise such as hum Bit A contraction of the words binary and digit a bit is a number used in a digital system and it can have only one of two values 0 or 1 The number of bits in each sample determines the theoretical maximum dynamic range of th
31. esult is jitter and if the noise interference is a low frequency signal the result is drift As an analogy a car with an out of balance wheel may drive straight but you ll get lots of vibration jitter conversely a car with a loose steering wheel might have a smooth ride but it will drift all over the road Clock drift affects long term synchronization like sound to picture and can introduce slight pitch variations in the audio Usually however the drift is so slow that these pitch variations are only tiny fractions of a cent and thus unnoticeable 23 Digital Clocking Primer Clock jitter affects digital transmission and digital conversion differently as follows Clock jitter in digital transmission be caused by a bad source clock inferior cabling or improper cable termination and or signal induced noise called pattern jitter or symbol jitter Digital signal formats like AES EBU S PDIF and ADAT all embed a clock in the digital signal so the receiving device can synchronize to the transmitted data bits correctly The clock used for data recovery is extracted from the signal using a clock synchronization circuit called a phase locked loop PLL This data recovery PLL must be designed to respond very quickly to attenuate high frequency jitter and avoid bit errors during reception This clock from the data recovery PLL cannot be used to generate the clocks used for digital conversion without further clock condit
32. gital clock is used to maintain synchronization between different digital devices There are two primary purposes for clock synchronization 1 Digital Conversion Analog to digital A D conversion and digital to analog D A conversion need extremely accurate clocking in order to correctly process the digital data A low quality clock can degrade the signal in many ways including loss of transparency clarity imaging and transient response as well as increased noise and distortion 2 Digital Transmission All digital devices need accurate clocking in order to properly transfer digital data between interconnected devices A low quality clock can cause data reception errors which add distortion and noise and if the clock isn t synchronized correctly samples may be dropped or repeated resulting in audible clicks or dropouts Clock quality is defined two ways First the sample rate must match the signal This is referred to as sample rate synchronization Second the clock signal must be stable over both short and long term clocking intervals Jitter refers to short term clock accuracy and stability or drift refers to long term clock accuracy These terms are discussed in more detail below Sample rate synchronization is required for proper digital transmission and is relatively easy to maintain Basically there must be one and only one clock master for all interconnected digital devices This is done by setting one device to mas
33. he active components in Class A electronic devices such as the 4 710d draw current and work throughout the full signal cycle thus eliminating crossover distortion altogether 20 Model 4 710d Overview Phantom Power Most modern condenser microphones require 48 volts of DC Direct Current power to operate When delivered over a standard microphone cable as opposed to coming from a dedicated power supply this is known as phantom power The 4 710d provides such power when the Phantom switch 4 page 11 is engaged placed in the 48V up position applying 48 volts to pins 2 and 3 of the rear panel output connector While in theory this should result in no harm to the connected microphone even if it does not require phantom power problems can occur if the shield pin 1 is broken or when using inexpensive microphones that use the shield as their ground The application of phantom power can even damage those older ribbon microphones that have their output transformers wired with a grounded center tap What s more the application of phantom power can often result in a loud pop transient For these reasons we strongly recommend that the Phantom switch be left in its off down position when connecting and disconnecting microphones Only turn the Phantom switch on if you are certain that the connected microphone requires 48 volts of phantom power If in doubt consult the manufacturer s owner s manual for that microphone Polari
34. high quality 24 bit A D conversion e Selectable sample rates to 192 kHz Digital output via dual ADAT optical and AES EBU DB 25 connectors e 8 channel soft limiter switchable for all channels e Ultra low jitter clock subsystem metering array with clip hold indicators 75 BNC work clock 1 0 Digital outputs anti pop protection on power up e Universal voltage internal power supply e Heavy duty metal construction two space rack unit e year warranty including parts and labor The Two Page Two Minute Guide to Getting Started Vo one likes to read owner s manuals We know that We also know that you know what you re doing why else would you have bought our product So we re going to try to make this as easy on you as possible Hence this two page spread which we estimate will take you approximately two minutes to read It will tell you everything you need to know to get your Universal Audio 4 710d up and running without bogging you down with details Of course even the most expert of us has to crack a manual every once in awhile As the saying goes as a last resort read the instructions You ll find those details you re craving a full description of all front and rear panel controls interconnection diagrams insider s secrets history theory maintenance information block diagrams specifications even a glossary of terms in the pages that follow Manual conventions 5 Means that this
35. ial about the mix of tube preamplification and electric guitar and bass which is why tube amps are so prevalent in that world Cranking up the 4 710d s Gain control will impart anything from a slight bark to total grunge Set the Blend control all the way to TRANS for that overloaded console effect or all the way to TUBE to emulate the grittiness and bite of an overdriven guitar amp or anywhere in between for a custom guitar sound perfectly crafted to the context of the song Electric bass players may want to set the Blend control so that the solid state amp is slightly favored try a 10 o clock position to start allowing you to take advantage of the precision of the transimpedance preamp stage combined with just a touch of tube warmth For acoustic bass try dialing in just a touch more tube preamp Acoustic Guitar The 4 710d is also a powerful tool for the recording of acoustic guitar Try pairing it with a small diaphragm omnidirectional mic and then set the Blend to about the 2 o clock position thus slightly favoring the tube preamp for a sound that is both pristine and warm Horns and Reeds The incredible detail provided by the 4 710d s solid state transimpedance preamp make it a perfect match for horn and reed instruments Dial in just a touch of the tube preamp set the Blend control to approximately 9 o clock to add a touch of tube warmth and you ve got a sound that will work in just about any musical context Drums The
36. ic transducer pickup monolithic balanced output stages 69 dB of gain 48V power and a 15 dB pad for the mic inputs polarity inverts and 15 Hz low cut filters output and Drive input VU metering a universal auto sensing internal power supply that allows for operation at any voltage between 100 and 240VAC and a 2U rack mountable design for studio or stage 4 710d Vacuum Tube Preamp The 4 710d high voltage 285 VDC Class A tube preamp section is based upon both classic guitar amplifier design and classic tube mic preamp design The circuit utilizes a 12AX7 tube for warmth and roundness and is the second gain stage located downstream from the Gain control pot This allows the circuitry to be overdriven by the first stage into anything from mild harmonic distortion to all out grunge however the transition to tube saturation is extremely gentle The result is the gradual onset of harmonic overdrive no hard clipping here As an example the transition from 176 THD to 476 THD occurs over a 14 dB range Because of its multiple gain stages with a Gain control pot between them as well as a Drive Meter that displays the signal level entering the second stage a wide variety of tonal possibilities can be dialed in from gentle warmth to extreme grit 4 710d Solid State Preamp The 4 710d solid state preamp circuitry utilizes Universal Audio s transimpedance design for precision sound and ultra low distortion delivering the highest possible
37. iers to raise amplify their level to that needed by a mixing console tape recorder or digital audio workstation DAW Native Refers to computer based digital audio recording software controlled by the computer s onboard processor as opposed to software that requires external hardware to run 3l Glossary of Terms Patch Bay A passive central routing station for audio signals In most recording studios the line level inputs and outputs of all devices are connected to a patch bay making it an easy matter to re route signal with the use of patch cords Patch Cord A short audio cable with connectors on each end typically used to interconnect components wired to a patch bay Pro Tools popular and widely used computer based digital audio workstation developed and manufactured by Digidesign The most current system Pro Tools HD provides hardware and software that supports multiple channels of high resolution digital audio at sampling rates of up to 192kHz See Sample rate Quantization Noise A form of digital distortion caused by mathematical rounding off errors in the analog to digital conversion process Quantization noise can be reduced dramatically by dithering the digital signal See Dither Ribbon Microphone A type of microphone that works by loosely suspending a small element usually a corrugated strip of metal in a strong magnetic field This ribbon is moved by the motion of air molecules and in doi
38. ioning This is a very common design flaw in most low and mid range digital converters Clock jitter in digital conversion is what most people refer to when they discuss jitter It s easily observed in a digital signal by looking at its spectrum in the frequency domain A jittery signal will have side lobes around each frequency and or spurious tones at random inharmonic frequencies Usually the jitter will be worse with higher signal frequencies You can test your converters by sampling a high quality 10 sine wave and viewing it in the frequency domain available with any good wave editing software package All modern over sampling digital converters require a clock called m clock that is many times typically several MHz higher than the sample clock M clock is easy to generate when the converter is the clock master but quite difficult to generate correctly when the converter needs to sync to an external clock External clock typically comes from a dedicated word clock input or is extracted from the incoming digital AES EBU S PDIF or ADAT signal Word clock cannot be used by the converters until it is multiplied up to the m clock rate This requires a PLL or other frequency multiplier circuit which will either be cheap and jittery or expensive and clean depending on who makes the converter As we said earlier the clock recovered from the digital inputs is unsuitable for use as the converter s m clock but because it s conveni
39. is an especially useful tip Means that this is an especially important bit of information And when we need to direct you to a page or section elsewhere in the manual we ll use the universal signs for rewind 4 or fast forward Getting Started With Your 4 7 10 Step 1 Place the 4 710d where you intend to use it Chassis mounting hardware is provided allowing the 4 710d to be used in a standard 19 rack taking just two spaces and so we recommend that the 4 710d be securely mounted in a rack if possible Step 2 Mute your monitors and then using a balanced cable with XLR connectors connect the 4 710d s rear panel line output s to the appropriate input s on your patch bay mixer or DAW Step 3 Set the front panel 48V phantom power 15dB PAD and LOW CUT switches to their down OFF position Step 4 Set the front panel POLARITY switch to its down IN position Step 5 Connect the desired input source to one of the 4 710d s rear panel balanced XLR mic and or line inputs gt gt page 15 Alternatively an electric guitar or bass can be connected to a front panel unbalanced 1 4 Hi Z input page 9 however note that the 4 710d s jack sensing circuitry automatically disconnects the channel s rear panel mic and line inputs when a cable is inserted into that channel s Hi Z input See page 17 for interconnection diagrams Step 6 If you are using a microphone or line level input set the channel s front
40. ks This control also sets the level sent to the A D converter inputs The numeric values for the Gain and Level knobs are relative scale markings and do not represent specific dB values You can come up with many useful tonal variations by experimenting with different Gain and Level settings 5 48V Most modern condenser microphones require 48 volts of phantom power to operate When in the up position 48 volts of phantom power are available at the channel s rear panel MIC INPUT gt gt See page 21 for more information about phantom power Keep phantom power off switch down when it is not required Always check the power requirements of your microphone with the manufacturer before applying phantom power To avoid loud transients always make sure phantom power is off when connecting or disconnecting microphones 6 15 dB PAD When enabled placed in the up position the channel s MIC INPUT signal will be reduced by 15 dB this switch has no effect on LINE INPUT or Hi Z signal Use the PAD to reduce the incoming signal in cases where undesired distortion is present at low gain levels for instance where especially sensitive microphones are used on loud instruments or if the A D converter is clipping 7 Input Select Determines whether the channel s MIC up position or LINE down position input is active If the channel s Hi Z input is in use this switch has no effect See Analog Conne
41. l output 0 dBFS MICROPHONE PREAMPLIFIER TO LINE OUT Gain Range Min Gain Max Gain Max Input Level bal Max Output Level bal Max Output Level unbal Input Impedance bal Input Impedance Hi Z Output Impedance bal Output Impedance unbal Equiv Input Noise 1500 56 dB gain Frequency Response 20Hz 20kHz Phase Mic In to Line Out 20 kHz Stereo Phase Mismatch Stereo Level Balance 1 kHz Crosstalk max gain 1kHz Common Mode Rejection Ratio max gain 60 Hz LINE IN TO LINE OUT Gain Range Min Gain Max Gain Max Input Level bal Max Input Level unbal Max Output Level bal Input Impedance bal Input Impedance unbal Output Impedance bal Output Impedance unbal Frequency Response 20Hz 20kHz Phase Line In to Line Out 20 kHz Stereo Phase Mismatch Stereo Level Balance 1 kHz Crosstalk max gain 1kHz Common Mode Rejection Ratio max gain 60 Hz Tube amp 100 LINE IN TO LINE OUT Tube Complement THD N 19 dBu 1 kHz 20 kHz BW THD N 17 dBu 1 kHz 20 kHz BW SNR min gain 1 kHz A wgt 20 kHz BW SNR max gain 1 kHz A wgt 20 kHz BW 56 dB 14 dB 70 dB 6 7 dBu 20 dBu 14 dBu 2kQ 2 2MQ 600 Q 300 Q 127 dBu 0 1 0 15 dB lt 0 5 deg lt 0 6 deg lt 0 01 dB 115 dB gt 62 dB 56 dB 7 dB 49 dB 26 dBu 20 dBu 20 dBu 10 kQ 5 KQ 600 Q 300 Q 0 1 0 15 dB 0 5 deg 0 5 deg 0 2 dB 115 dB 0 dB 12AX7 2 30 dB
42. level devices such as mixing consoles recorders and DAWs Transient A relatively high volume pitchless sound impulse of extremely brief duration such as a pop Consonants in singing and speech and the attacks of musical instruments particularly percussive instruments are examples of transients Transimpedance Preamplifier A transformerless solid state preamplifier utilizing a transistor configuration that employs current feedback for ultra low distortion and the highest possible quality of signal from input to output The transimpedance design allows audio from 4 Hz to 150 kHz to pass through without altering the phase relationships between fundamental frequencies and overtones Noise and distortion are kept to near theoretical minimums so critical signals may be generously amplified without degrading the quality or character of the sound source Word Clock A dedicated clock signal based on the transmitting device s sample rate or the speed with which sample words are sent over a digital connection See Clock XLR A standard three pin connector used by many audio devices with pin 1 typically connected to the shield of the cabling thus providing ground Pins 2 and 3 are used to carry audio signal normally in a balanced out of phase configuration 33 Maintenance D The 4 710d contains no user serviceable parts Repair should be performed only qualified service personnel Contact Universal Audio for service inform
43. ls 1 4 are output on ADAT port 1 while channels 5 8 are output on port 2 At 176 4kHz and 192kHz channels 1 and 2 are output on port 1 while channels 3 and 4 are output on port 2 channels 5 8 cannot be output via ADAT optical at the highest rates These correlating values are shown in the following table Sample Rate ADAT Port 1 ADAT Port 2 Knob Setting Output channels Output channels 44 48 1 8 1 8 mirrored 88 2 96 1 4 5 8 176 4 192 1 2 3 4 Analog Connectors 6 AC Power Input Connect a standard detachable IEC power cable supplied here 7 Line Inputs 5 through 8 These four line inputs feed directly into channels 5 8 of the 4 710d s A D converters Any 4 phone plug balanced TRS or unbalanced TS carrying a line level signal can be connected here for output via the AES EBU or ADAT digital outputs These inputs are fed into the limiter when the limiter 44 216 on page 12 is enabled 15 Rear Panel Two 4 710d units can combined using these inputs to obtain eight mic pre channels on one 8 channel digital stream Simply connect the channel 1 4 line outputs of the first unit to the line inputs 5 8 of the second unit the digital outputs of the second unit will now contain the combined mic pres of both units Note There are no analog outputs for line inputs 2 8 D Since the connectors for channels 1 4 are identical each is only described once below 8 Line Output A bala
44. mpressors on channels 1 4 The limiter threshold is 17dBu 3dBFS and the ratio is effectively infinite The attack time is 0 075 ms and the release time is 100 ms Although the limiter will help prevent digital overs A D clipping during conversion it is not a brick wall limiter It is still possible to clip the A D input especially with very hot signal levels and or signals with fast transient peaks 17 Sample Rate This knob defines the internal sample rate of the A D converter or selects external clocking The following sample rates are supported kHz 44 1 48 88 2 96 176 4 and 192 When Sample Rate is set to external word clock the 4 710d is a word clock slave and the incoming clock rate at the rear panel s BNC Word Clock In connector 2 on page 14 is used to determine the sample rate for A D conversion For more details please see the Digital Clocking Primer section on page 23 Front Panel 18 Digital Out Level These LEDs indicate the signal level of the A D converters Each of the eight A D channels has its own two segment level indicator The lower LED illuminates green when the incoming signal is between 37 dBFS and 6 dBFS This LED displays the signal level continuously it does not have peak hold functionality The upper LED is a two state indicator When the incoming signal is between 6 dBFS and 1 dBFS the LED is yellow the LED is red when the signal exceeds 1 dBFS This LED h
45. n 3 of a supported sample rate the LOCK indicator will glow red the WORD CLOCK OUT will be driven at 48 kHz and the digital outputs will be driven at 48 kHz and muted 24 Insider s Secrets The Best of Both Worlds There s a reason why tube preamplifiers have long been favored by audio engineers especially in this age of digital recording they impart a warmth and richness that makes most sounds larger than life However there is no denying that tube preamps also tend to color the incoming signal somewhat albeit in a way which most listeners find pleasant and desirable On the other hand the recording of voice and acoustic instruments sometimes requires precise signal handling with meticulous attention to detail definition and accuracy Applications such as classical or jazz recording demand faithful transfer of performances exactly as they happen without coloration processing noise or distortion and that is where solid state preamplifiers shine Plus by capturing the sound as it is you can leave sound sculpting and coloration decisions until later during the mixing stage So the question is which kind of preamp to use Up until now the only solution has been to have an arsenal of both kinds at your disposal but with the 4 710d that s no longer necessary since it provides both designs in one box as well as a unique Blend control that allows the user to dial in the precise contribution of each preamp to the overall
46. nced XLR connector that carries the line level output signal of the 4 710d channel Note that Pin 2 is positive when the front panel Polarity switch 44 11 on page 11 is off IN 0 Pin 3 is positive when the front panel Polarity switch is engaged OUT g 9 Line Input Connect any line level input signal coming from a device such as a mixer DAW tape machine or signal processor into this balanced XLR connector Pin 2 is wired positive hot Any 4 phone plug line level output can also be connected to the Insert Return jack 12 below and if the Insert switch for the channel 12 on page 11 15 engaged that signal will be used for the channel input instead of the XLR line input 10 Mic Input Connect a microphone to this standard XLR connector Pin 2 is wired positive hot 48V phantom power is available via the front panel switch Insert Loop An external audio processor for example EQ or compressor can be inserted into the analog path of channels 1 4 using the Insert Loop for additional processing of the channel s signal using the Send and Return jacks 11 and 12 below The Insert Loop can be enabled or disabled using the Insert switch for the channel on the front panel 12 on page 11 All Insert connections accept standard 92 male phone plugs Balanced TRS and unbalanced TS connectors can be used 11 Insert Send Connect this jack to the audio input of the external processor The signal at
47. ng so it cuts across the magnetic lines of flux causing an electrical signal to be generated Ribbon microphones tend to be delicate and somewhat expensive but often have very flat frequency response Sample A digital snapshot of the amplitude of a sound at a single instant in time The number of samples taken per second is determined by the device s sample rate See Sample rate Sample Rate The number of samples per second In digital audio there are six commonly used sample rates 44 1 kHz used by audio CDs 48 kHz 88 2 kHz 2 x 44 1 kHz 96 kHz 2 x 48 kHz used by DVDs 176 4 kHz 4 x 44 1 kHz and 192 kHz 4 x 48 kHz The higher the sample rate the greater the frequency response of the resulting signal however higher sample rates require more storage space See kHz Sample Rate Conversion The process of altering a digital signal s sample rate to a different sample rate The 4 710d does not perform sample rate conversion Single Wire sometimes referred to as Double Fast The newest revised format of AES EBU data transfer that accommodates sample rates of 176 4kHz or 192kHz The Single Wire standard is similar in concept to Dual Wire but instead of using two separate AES cables and connectors it simply increases the data rate and sends the signal over one port The 4 710d supports both Single Wire mode for the transmission and reception of high resolution AES audio See AES Dual Wire and high resolution
48. ngths and weaknesses Early preamplifiers relied on vacuum tubes to boost signal One of the most popular preamps of the era was the one inside the 610 console built by Bill Putnam Sr in 1960 for his United Recording facility in Hollywood As was the case with most of Putnam s innovations the 610 was the pragmatic solution for a recurring problem in the studios of the era how to fix a console without interrupting a session The traditional console of the time was a one piece control surface with all components connected via patch cords If a problem occurred the session came to a halt while the console was dismantled Putnam s answer was to build a mic pre with gain control echo send and adjustable EQ on a single modular chassis using a printed circuit board Though modular consoles are commonplace today the 610 was quite a breakthrough at the time While the 610 was designed for practical reasons it was its sound that made it popular with the recording artists who frequented Putnam s studios in the 1960s The unique character of its micro phone preamplifier in particular made it a favorite of legendary engineers like Bruce Botnick Bones Howe Lee Hershberg and Bruce Swedien who has described the character of the preamp as clear and open and very musical The 610 console was used in hundreds of studio sessions for interna tionally renowned artists such as Frank Sinatra Ray Charles Sarah Vaughan the Mamas and Papas the Fifth Dimension He
49. oRve 1548 PAD Low cur or o uic No IN 456 3 7 INSERT E on 0 ES 0 o one iso voweur of of ovra une Wo 4 6 3 INSERT OFF 3 7 2 8 OUT 4 2 8 0 sav OFF 1508 PAD 0 OFF LINE 8 OUT sav OFF 1508 PAD hene ond 5 ae FAST 2 8 2 8 OUT 4 2 FAST 2 1 811 9 em D 2 8 OUT 4 ow 0 Qe om om LOWCUT 1548 PAD 010 OFF OFF LINE stow on j ome LOWCUT 15dB PAD 0 FAST 2 al2 8 OUT FAST 2 x 1 811 9 T 1 MTR OUT DRIVE LOWCUT 0 OFF stow 5 2 TUE LEVEL stow 0 sv cr 0 D C Xm e SLOW ide a 8 e FAST 2 8 1 9 CAIN MTR OUT DRIVE Low 0 OFF SLOW UNIVERSAL AUDIO p Duce 454 8 OUT 4 FAST 2 8 16BIT 0 18 LOCK 0 UNIVERSAL AUDIO SAMPLE RATE O DiGITALOUT POWER C 5 ER 8 src sooo Lc sr er3r rr LOCK 882 gg UNIVERSAL AUDIO 444 1764 192 SAMPLE RATE O Universal Audio Inc 1700 Green Hills Rd Scotts Valley CA 95066 4926 USA www uaudio com 877 MY UAUDIO voice 831 440 117
50. ock FET Short for Field Effect Transistor which is a type of transistor that relies on an electric field to control the shape and hence the conductivity of a channel in a semiconductor material Front End Refers to a device that provides analog and digital input output 1 0 to a digital audio workstation DAW See DAW Hi Z Short for High Impedance The 4 710d s Hi Z input allows direct connection of an instrument such as electric guitar or bass via a standard unbalanced 1 4 jack High Resolution In digital audio refers to 24 bit signals at sampling rates of 88 2kHz or higher Hz Short for Hertz a unit of measurement describing a single analog audio cycle or digital sample per second Impedance A description of a circuit s resistance to a signal as measured in ohms or thousands of ohms ohms The symbol for ohm is Q Internal Clock A clock signal derived from onboard circuitry See Clock 1 0 Short for input output kHz Short for kiloHertz a thousand Hertz a unit of measurement describing a thousand analog audio cycles or digital samples per second See Hz JFET Abbreviation for Junction Field Effect Transistor a specific type of FET which has some similarities to traditional bipolar transistor designs that can make it more appropriate for use in some audio circuit designs See FET Jitter Refers to short term variations in the edges of a clock signal caus
51. ods The AC power supply cord of the unit should be unplugged from the AC outlet when left unused for a long period of time Damage Requiring Service The unit should be serviced by a qualified service personnel when a The AC power supply cord or the plug has been damaged or b Objects have fallen or liquid has been spilled into the unit or The unit has been exposed to rain or d The unit does not operate normally or exhibits a marked change in performance or e The unit has been dropped or the enclosure damaged Servicing The user should not attempt to service the unit beyond that described in the operating instructions All other servicing should be referred to qualified service personnel Table Of Contents 1 25 d LEM LI DIM UE LUE LU Md LE ii 0016 et e culte 5 trom ee rete ite e e ha ede eds 5 6 Featulgs cnncta o seti neonato nian ah noi Boote abd eh 6 The Two Page Two Minute Guide to Getting Started sss 7 Front Pan l DeSCHDLOLS eerta neto enis dde a 9 Analog Controls t m rd ie v RE Ee e ttem es 9 Digital Controls otc tii di nt amr adn era uarie ae Du eret a ber oun 12 Rear Panel Descriptions cos dade vase
52. on The 4 710d combines UA s classic design approach with several modern innovations creating a unique studio device suited to a wide range of applications At the core of the 4 710d are four channels of tone blending Twin Finity mic preamps with true bypass 1176 style compression Each of the four mic preamp channels allows for continuously variable phase aligned tone between 10076 tube and 10076 solid state Send and return jacks are available for external processing or signal access The eight analog inputs are digitized via high quality 24 bit A D converters at selectable sample rates up to 192 kHz Digital output is available via dual ADAT lightpipe or AES EBU DB 25 connectors facilitating integration with most popular audio interfaces Features Preamplifiers e Four TEC Award winning 710 Twin Finity microphone line preamps each featuring e Dual path 285 volt Class A tube and transimpedance solid state preamps e Phase aligned tone blending of tube and solid state circuits creamy to crunchy e Newly designed 1176 style compression circuit per preamp channel e JFET Direct Input with 2 2 ultra Hi Z impedance w auto input override e Large backlit VU meters for flexible metering of input drive gain level and gain reduction e Balanced send return inserts half normalled e 48V phantom power e 75 Hz low cut filter e Polarity switch e Monolithic balanced output stage Analog to Digital Conversion e Eight channels of
53. panel Input Select switch to Mic or Line Step 7 Set the channel s Meter switch to DRIVE its down position Step 8 Set the channel s Gain control to 0 and the Level control to approximately 5 Step 9 Set the channel s Blend knob to its twelve o clock position This ensures an equal blend of both of the 4 710d preamplifiers solid state and vacuum tube Getting Started Step 10 Make sure the Power switch is off down position and then connect the supplied IEC power cable to the rear panel AC power connector Step 11 Power on the 4 710d The front panel meters will light up D Because the Model 4 710d utilizes a tube it needs several minutes to achieve a stable operating temperature During warm up audio quality may vary slightly Step 12 If a microphone requiring 48 volts of phantom power is connected to the 4 710d turn on the channel s 48V switch Step 13 Unmute your monitors and slowly raise the channel s Gain control You should now be hearing signal with that channel s meter becoming active Step 14 While viewing the meter set the channel s Gain control until optimum input signal strength is achieved Change the channel s Meter switch to OUTPUT its up position and set the Level control until optimum output signal strength is achieved Step 15 Experiment with differing degrees of Gain to hear the various amounts of coloration the 4 710d can impart to your signal CAUTION Very high Gain settings will
54. power strip and all inputs outputs mic line Hi Z etc If your problem persists call tech support at 877 MY UAUDIO or send an email to info uaudio com and we will help you troubleshoot your system Canadian and overseas customers should contact their local distributor When calling for help please have the product serial number available and have your unit set up in front of you turned on and exhibiting the problem If it is determined your product requires repair you will be told where to ship it and issued a Return Merchandise Authorization number RMA This number must be displayed on the outside of your shipping box use the original packing materials if at all possible Most repairs take approximately 2 4 business days and we will match the shipping method you used to get it to us In other words if you shipped it to us UPS ground we will ship it back to you UPS ground if you overnight it to us we will ship it back to you overnight You pay the shipping costs to us we ship it back to you free of charge Qualified service under warranty is of course also free of charge For gear no longer under warranty tech bench costs are 75 per hour plus parts 43
55. r favorite artists engineers and producers each month The webzine even offers something we call Playback a monthly contest where the winners get their music posted on our site exposing their songs to thousands of visitors per day Product Registration Please follow the simple instructions below to register your new 4 710d Registering your 4 710d is quick easy and allows you to become eligible for exclusive offers and UA promotions Registration also enables faster support for all product inquiries and Customer Service related issues To register your UA Model 4 71 0d 1 Goto http www uaudio com and click Support gt Register at the top of the page a If you already have a my uaudio account login to your account b To create a new account follow the onscreen instructions 2 Select 4 710d from the Product drop menu 3 Enter your serial number Located on the rear panel of the 4 710d chassis 4 Clickthe Submit button to complete the registration process Warranty The warranty for all Universal Audio hardware is one year from date of purchase parts and labor Service amp Support Even gear as well designed and tested as ours will sometimes fail In those rare instances our goal here at UA is to get you up and running again as soon as possible The first thing to do if you re having trouble with your device is to check for any loose or faulty external cables bad patchbay connections grounding trouble from a
56. r sample rates of 88 2 96 176 4 and 192kHz These capabilities make the 4 710d an excellent front end for any digital audio workstation The 4 710d delivers superb audio fidelity thanks to its pristine Class A analog signal path AES EBU Digital Output All eight channels of the 4 710d s A D converters are output in AES EBU digital format on an industry standard DB 25 connector The 4 710d AES EBU output supports Single Wire mode at all available 4 710d sample rates the AES EBU output does not support Dual Wire mode at sample rates above 96 kHz ADAT Optical Digital Output The 4 710d provides two standard ADAT optical digital output ports At sample rates of 44 1kHz and 48kHz all eight channels are output on both ADAT ports At higher sample rates industry standard S MUX M multiplexing is used to maintain high resolution transfers Word Clock 1 0 Word clock input and output is provided for synchronizing slaving with external hardware devices Connections are via standard 75 ohm BNC connectors Switchable 75 ohm termination is available Digital Metering Digital output level metering for A D conversion is provided by eight 2 segment LED displays Each channel has its own output indicator Digital meter behavior is described in 18 on page 13 22 Digital Clocking Primer Digital clocking is a complicated issue with a number of important aspects that are often not very well understood First and foremost a di
57. rb Alpert and Sergio Mendes The Beach Boys milestone Pet Sounds album was also recorded using a 610 But by the mid 1960 s tiny solid state components called transistors followed by advanced techno logical innovations such as FETs Field Effect Transistors op amps operational amplifiers and ICs Integrated Circuits had become ubiquitous and inexpensive to manufacture These all did the job of vacuum tubes but with greater efficiency and reliability less heat much smaller size and much longer lifetimes For these reasons audio circuit designers such as Bill Putnam began creating pre amplifiers using transistors instead of tubes One of the first of these was the Universal Audio 1108 This was an exquisitely designed widely used single stage modular preamp made for modular re cording consoles It featured input and output transformers with connections for modular equalizers such as the UA 508 EQ This amp design became the basis for the enormously popular 1176 limiter which utilized the same output transformer Interestingly the 1108 has probably been used on many more classic recordings than the 610 due to its broad popularity 27 History of the Model 4 710d Throughout the years solid state preamplifiers have evolved into ever more sophisticated designs such as the Precision mic preamp utilized in the Universal Audio SOLO 110 and multichannel 4110 8110 and the transimpedance design first unveiled in the Universal Audio DC
58. sessssessaseeseseseessseseecacessssscecensssseeseneseees 37 Analog To Digital Converter Section a ci dac cea tena dei aa n d 39 Digital OUtDUE 58010155 oce rc irt ie tener t rt eme da 40 CONNECTOR em eret ett e c 40 td et te Bion etd tere vet EROR det 40 i ote TR 41 Additional ROS cec on fesso esee nea e ein ette neous 43 Universal 1010 1605 ae e dolet ere tee etn teda trees 43 Product RSgist Atom nre a e cta a E pta tn erat bae te fob ta 43 M LIA 43 Service amp SUPPOM comer e arent Gia indie t E Ur OMe e Rete 43 Introduction A Letter from Bill Putnam Jr Thank you for purchasing the Model 4 710d Four Channel Tone Blending Mic Preamplifer Universal Audio s new analog digital hybrid product The 4 710d combines four channels of our Model 710 Twin Finity preamplifier with eight channels of pristine analog to digital conversion and adds a complement of modern convenience features all in a 2U all metal chassis at an amazing price Our all original 710 Twin Finity preamp with Tone Blending has proved to be wildly popular among engineers producers and artists seeking a broad palette of sounds from clean to warm in a single affordable unit The innovative preamp design of th
59. sition switch controls the channel s 1176 style analog compressor The compressor has a compression ratio of 4 1 and the threshold is 10 dBu When in the up FAST position the compressor attack time is 0 3 ms and the release time is 100 ms When in the down SLOW position the attack time is 2 0 ms and the release time is 1100 ms If the METER FUNCTION switch 44 9 above is set to GR the amount of compressor gain reduction is displayed in the METER Front Panel Digital Controls Qe 4 QUT DIGITALOUT POWER Wo UNIVERSAL AUDIO 14 Power Turns the 4 710d power on or off When powered on the front panel meters light up The 4 710d should be powered off when it is not being used for extended periods of time 15 Bit Depth This switch determines the bit depth or resolution of the digital output signal for all eight A D channels In the up position the digital output word length is 24 bits in the down position the digital output word length is 16 bits The actual A D conversion of the 4 710d is always performed at a 24 bit word length When the switch is set to 16 bit mode the 24 bit signal is triangular dithered to 16 bits 16 Limit 1 8 This switch activates the built in analog limiter for all eight inputs prior to A D conversion The limiter is global for all eight inputs it cannot be individually enabled per channel unlike the mic pre co
60. ss to these standard unbalanced 1 4 phone jack connectors The 4 710d s jack detection circuitry automatically switches from the selected rear panel MIC or LINE input to the channel s front panel 1 input whenever a plug is inserted into this jack The Hi Z input impedance is 7 2 for all four inputs These JFET direct inputs provide maximum fidelity with no high end loss D Making a connection to the 4 710d s front panel Hi Z input jack automatically disconnects any signal arriving at the rear panel mic and line input 2 Gain Adjusts the gain of the channel s input stage Turning this knob clockwise raises the amount of gain applied to the input signal This control also determines the level sent to the compressor if the compression circuit 13 on page 11 is engaged 3 Blend This unique control sets the relative contribution from the solid state and vacuum tube preamplifier circuits When in the fully counterclockwise TRANS position only signal from the solid state preamplifier is heard When in the fully clockwise TUBE position only the signal from the tube preamplifier is heard At the twelve o clock position signal from both the solid state and tube preamplifiers is heard at equal amounts Front Panel 4 Level This is the channel s master volume control It determines the amplitude of the signal sent to the rear panel LINE OUTPUT gt gt 8 on page 16 and INSERT SEND 11 on page 16 jac
61. ter mode where it synchronizes to its internal clock and transmits that clock signal and setting every other device to slave mode where it receives and synchronizes to external clock with the appropriate clock signal routed between the master and slave devices Keep in mind that any device whether it s the clock master or a slave can send or receive data once everything is synchronized correctly When doing digital conversion it s best to have the converter serve as the clock master For example if you re recording clock everything off the A D converter Likewise if you re mixing clock everything off the D A converter If you re running multiple converters use the device with the best quality clock as master For all digital transfers e g a digital transfer from one DAW or storage device to another clock synchronization is maintained by simply setting up the proper master slave relationship between devices Digital transfers can be affected by clock jitter but not in the same way clock jitter affects analog conversion This is a widely misunderstood concept we ll discuss in detail below Clock jitter is short term variations in the edges of a clock signal as opposed to clock drift which is long term variations in the clock rate A clock could be very stable over the long term but still have jitter and vice versa Timing variations are caused by noise and or interference If the noise interference is a high frequency signal the r
62. the 4 710d in the middle of a Word Clock chain is to use a T connector at the 4 710d Word Clock input and leave the 4 710d Word Clock Out unconnected For more details please see the Digital Clocking Primer section on page 23 4 75Q Termination This pushbutton switch provides internal word clock termination when required Termination is active when the switch is engaged depressed Word clock termination should only be used at the receiving end of a word clock cable or if the cable is daisy chained across several units termination should only be used on the last unit in the chain For example if the 4 710d is the last slave unit at the end of a clock chain when the 4 710d s word clock Out port is not used termination should be active If the word clock is passed through the 4 710d to another unit when the 4 710d s Word Clock Out port is connected passing the word clock through to another device termination should be disabled 5 ADAT Optical Outputs 1 amp 2 Up to eight channels of the 4 710d s A D converters are output in ADAT optical format using these two connectors The particular 4 710d channels that are output at each port depend upon the current sample rate setting At sample rates of 44 1kHz and 48kHz all eight channels are output on both ADAT ports mirrored At higher sample rates industry standard S MUX multiplexing is used to maintain high resolution transfers At rates of 88 2kHz and 96kHz channe
63. this jack is post preamp so all level and sonic changes made with the associated channel s front panel controls will be reflected here The jack is half normalled which means you can extract the channel s signal from here even if you don t use the associated Insert Return This is handy for routing the signal to a monitor mix tuner etc The signal at the Insert Send jack is identical to the signal at the XLR Line Output jack Both channel outputs can be used simultaneously without any signal loading issues 12 Insert Return Connect this jack to the audio output of the external processor The signal at this jack is only audible if the associated channel s Insert switch on the front panel 44 12 on page 11 is engaged The Insert Return jack can be used as a V line input for the channel in lieu of the XLR input The Insert Return is used as the input when the channel s Insert switch 44 12 on page 11 is engaged 16 Interconnection Diagrams Analog Only Setup This diagram illustrates a typical system using the 4 710d in an analog only configuration such as when using it as the front end to a public address system or analog recording device In this setup the digital features of the 4 710d are not used The example shows a microphone connected to channel 1 a keyboard connected to the insert return of channel 2 to use the 4 line input instead the XLR line input and a guitar connected to channel 3 using the Hi Z input
64. tion 75 ohms Bottom segment Green 37 dB to 6 dB Top segment Yellow 6 dB to 1 dB Top segment Red 1 dB to Clip 8 x XLR Female Line in Mic in channel 1 4 4 x XLR Male Line out channel 1 4 12 x TRS Female ch 1 4 send return line in 5 8 2 x Toslink out ADAT Optical output 1 8 2 x BNC 75Q Word Clock in out 1 x DB 25 AES EBU Tascam pin out ch 1 8 4 TRS Female channel 1 4 Hi Z in 100VAC 240VAC 50 60 Hz auto switching 0 525 A 120 VAC 60W Detachable IEC power cable 2U Rack 19 x 3 5 x 12 Wx Hx D inches 48 2 x 8 9 30 5 W x H x D 11 5 Ibs 5 2 kg 40 Index 1176 1 ii 6 27 610 ii 27 750 Termination 15 A D Conversion 22 ADAT 6 15 22 24 29 31 32 33 ADAT Optical 15 22 AES EBU 6 14 15 22 24 29 30 32 Analog 9 10 15 17 23 29 30 Analog Connectors 15 Analog Controls 9 Balanced 6 29 40 Bass 26 Bill Putnam Sr 27 28 Bit Depth 12 29 Bit Resolution 29 Block Diagram 36 BNC 6 12 14 22 29 Class A 20 29 Cleaning iii clock 7 9 13 14 15 19 22 23 24 26 29 30 31 33 Compressor 11 Condenser 29 converters 13 14 15 22 23 24 28 DAW 7 16 23 30 31 Digital Clocking 14 15 19 23 Digital Connectors 14 Digital Controls 12 Digital Metering 22 Disclaimer ii Dither 30 32 Drums 26 41 Dynamic 29 30 EQ 16 27 31 FCC Compliance ii Features 6 FET 27
65. to a metal disk called a backplate Incoming sound pressure causes the diaphragm to vibrate in turn causing the capacitance to vary in a like manner which causes a variance in its output voltage Condenser microphones tend to have excellent transient response but require an external voltage source most often in the form of 48 volts of phantom power Clock In digital audio or video a clock serves as a timing reference for a system Every digital device must carry out specified numbers of operations per period of time and at a consistent speed in order for the device to work properly Digital audio devices such as the 4 710d normally have an internal clock and are also capable of locking to external clock routed from other digital devices In order to 28 Glossary of Terms avoid signal degradation or undesirable audible artifacts it is absolutely critical that all digital devices that are interconnected in a system be locked to the same clock Clock Distribution Refers to the process of routing a master clock signal either from an internal clock or an external source to multiple devices by means of multiple outputs thus removing the need to cascade the clock through external devices which can degrade the signal D A An acronym for Digital to Analog which refers to the conversion of a digital signal to analog The 4 710d does not perform D A conversion DAW An acronym for Digital Audio Workstation that is any devic
66. ty Inversion The occasional need for polarity inversion changing the 4 710d front panel switch from IN to OUT is best demonstrated by a common example recording an open backed guitar amplifier with two microphones where one mic is placed close to the front of the amp s speaker and the other near the back of the amp The waveform display of the first mic will show an upward peak when the speaker pushes outward placing positive sound pressure on the mic However the waveform display of the second mic the one behind the amp will show a downward negative valley when the speaker pushes forward because from the back of the amp the speaker moves away from the mic thus creating negative sound pressure If these two signals are mixed the positive waveform from the front mic combines with the negative waveform from the back mic to result in cancellation of much of the amp s sound and a thinning effect that is sonically disappointing However if the phase of one of the mic signals is inverted the two signals will combine instead of cancelling and the result will be much fuller and sonically pleasing Other double mic applications often requiring phase inversion include piano soundboards drum heads one mic on top of the drum and the other below it and acoustic guitar miking where one mic is placed close to the soundhole and another further away or behind the guitar Low Cut Filtering A common method for optimizing mixes is to apply lo
67. ual Wire standard breaks the digital audio up into two different data streams and transmits them over separate connectors and cables Dual Wire mode requires two AES channels to transmit a stereo pair of audio channels Most modern high resolution digital audio equipment utilizes the newer Single Wire mode but some legacy devices such as some Pro Tools systems use Dual Wire mode See AES High resolution kHz and Single Wire Dynamic Microphone A type of microphone that generates signal with the use of a very thin light diaphragm which moves in response to sound pressure That motion in turn causes a voice coil which is suspended in a magnetic field to move generating a small electric current Dynamic mics are generally less expensive than condenser or ribbon mics and do not require external power to operate Dynamic Range The difference between the loudest sections of a piece of music and the softest ones The dynamic range of human hearing that is the difference between the very softest passages we can discern and the very loudest ones we can tolerate is considered to be approximately 120 dB Modern digital audio devices such as the 4 710d are able to match or even exceed that range See Bit resolution EQ Short for Equalization a circuit that allows selected frequency areas in an audio signal to be cut or boosted 30 Glossary of Terms External Clock A clock signal derived from an external source See Cl
68. uct names mentioned herein are trademarks of their respective companies FCC Compliance This device complies with Part 15 of the FCC Rules Operation is subject to the following two conditions 1 this device may not cause harmful interference and 2 the device must accept any interference received including interference that may cause undesired operation Contents of This Box This package should contain 1 Universal Audio 4 710d unit e XD e 1 Set of 4 rack mounting screws with washers 1 User Manual 1 Tip In Sheet 1 IEC power cable 1 Warranty Registration Card 1 UA full line catalog Notices Important Safety Information Before using this unit be sure to carefully read the applicable items of these operating instructions and the safety suggestions Afterwards keep them handy for future reference Take special care to follow the warnings indicated on the unit as well as in the operating instructions l 2 9 10 11 Water and Moisture Do not use the unit near any source of water or in excessively moist environments Object and Liquid Entry Care should be taken so that objects do not fall and liquids are not spilled into the enclosure through openings Ventilation When installing the unit in a rack or any other location be sure there is adequate ventilation Improper ventilation will cause overheating and can damage the unit Heat The unit sho
69. uld be situated away from heat sources or other equipment that produce heat Power Sources The unit should be connected to a power supply only of the type described in the operating instructions or as marked on the unit Power Cord Protection AC power supply cords should be routed so that they are not likely to be walked on or pinched by items placed upon or against them Pay particular attention to cords at plugs convenience receptacles and the point where they exit from the unit Never take hold of the plug or cord if your hand is wet Always grasp the plug body when connecting or disconnecting it Grounding of the Plug This unit is equipped with a 3 wire grounding type plug a plug having a third grounding pin This plug will only fit into a grounding type power outlet This is a safety feature If you are unable to insert the plug into the outlet contact your electrician to replace your obsolete outlet Do not defeat the purpose of the grounding type plug Cleaning Follow these general rules when cleaning the outside of your 4 710d Turn the power Off and unplug the unit b Gently wipe with a clean lint free cloth C If necessary moisten the cloth using lukewarm or distilled water making sure not to oversaturate it as liquid could drip inside the case and cause damage to your 4 710d d Usea dry lint free cloth to remove any remaining moisture e Donotuse aerosol sprays solvents or abrasives Nonuse Peri
70. up position the channel s input signal passes through a 75 Hz low cut filter This is normally used to eliminate rumble and other unwanted low frequencies from an incoming signal gt gt See page 21 for more information about low cut filtering 11 Polarity Determines the polarity of the channel s LINE OUTPUT 8 on page 16 and the polarity of the signal at the A D converter inputs When off in the down IN g position pin 2 of the LINE OUTPUT is hot positive When the switch is enabled in the up OUT g position the output signal is placed out of phase and pin 3 of its LINE OUTPUT is hot positive Normally the switch should be off and only enabled when it is desirable to reverse the polarity i e in cases where more than one microphone is utilized in recording a source signal gt gt See page 21 for more information about polarity inversion 12 Insert When enabled placed in the up position the input signal is routed through the chan nel s insert jacks on the rear panel Insert Loop on page 16 for external processing When disengaged in the down position the signal at the return jack is ignored The insert switch allows you to leave external processors conveniently connected when you don t want to currently use them on the channel 6 The Send jack is active even when Insert is disengaged so you can route the channel s signal to a monitor mix tuner etc 13 Comp This three po
71. w cut filtering whenever possible Excessive low frequencies from microphones and instruments tend to build up in the mix creating sonic mud that masks musical detail overloads or fatigues the listener s ears and sucks energy from power amps and speakers It isn t uncommon to notice meters showing noticeably lower levels after low cut filtering is applied a sure sign that such filtering was necessary In addition after low frequency mud is filtered there is often more room in the mix to bring up important musical elements such as vocals and lead instruments resulting in a win win situation less mud more music Typically a low cut filter can be used to remove vocal B P and other popping sounds moving air noise from close miked vocals drums guitars and outdoor weather instrument body noise from handling guitars basses pianos saxophones etc mic stand vibrations studio or stage floor vibrations air conditioning electrical hum and unwanted proximity effect bass boost 21 Model 4 710d Overview A D Conversion The 4 710d conveniently provides eight channels of high quality analog to digital A D conversion with digital output via AES EBU DB 25 and ADAT optical connectors No matter what task you give it the 4 710d can dramatically improve the quality of your audio environment The 4 710d provides up to eight channels of sterling sound quality for tracking monitoring and mastering with full support for today s highe

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